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An alleged Mexican drug trafficker was arrested trying to leave Panama via the border crossing at Paso Canoas. This arrest falls on the heels of the seizure of two and a half tons of cocaine in Pedregal. Panama authorities state that the 32 year old carried two Mexican passports under different names and that he was in Panama to coordinate the shipment of the Pedregal cocaine to Mexico.

According to the November 11, 2008 La Prensa, Panama, the connection of Francisco Salazar Ramírez to the recent cocaine seizure was said to be made from a number of documents seized from a car belonging to Mr. Salazar. Along with Salazar the police arrested his Panamanian driver who was carrying a pistol. There was no report of Mr. Salazar carrying drugs.

Panama, Drugs, and Law Enforcement

Panama’s ongoing problem with international crime is its use as a transit point for cocaine and other drugs heading north to Mexico and on to the USA. It is a credit to Panama that the Panama authorities are quick to arrest known organized crime leaders when found in Panama and to roll up organizations devoted to transportation of drugs.

Panama’s law enforcement agencies have been active recently, arresting drug traffickers. Recently a Colombian drug lord was arrested in a downtown Panama City restaurant and promptly extradited to the USA.

Here is a word of caution to anyone who may want to “free lance” with drugs and bring a little cheap cocaine back to the USA from Panama. The Panama police have lots of informants and they are not dumb. Panama prisons are so bad that international human rights groups fault Panama routinely for the prisons’ inhumane conditions. The Mexican mentioned above was a few feet from Costa Rica when they arrested him.

Panama Governance and the Rule of Law

 A recent World Bank study looked at the ease of doing business in countries throughout the world. In general the study looked at the quality of governance as a facilitator or inhibitor of successful business activities. The study states that within Latin America Panama ranks fourth in enforcing the rule of law in governance. Only Chile, Uruguay, and Costa Rica rank higher.

For those interested in business or real estate investment in Panama an active police force dealing with drugs and other criminal issues is important. The chaos generated in a society by organized crime and drugs is not only dangerous to persons but damaging to successful business and investment activity. Panama’s arrests of drug traffickers are good examples of good governance in dealing with crime.

Despite the news of drug traffic and organized crime, Panama is thriving. The business of Panama is business, not drugs. Panama is in the midst of a construction boom unabated by the current world financial crisis. As Panama police arrest Colombian drug lords here to coordinate their activities tourism continues to pour money into Panama. Investment in Panama commercial real estate continues to provide great returns. With North American credit concerns causing a slow down in the high end of the real estate market this is the time to buy that home in Bocas del Toro or the condo on the Bay of Panama overlooking construction of the Cinta Costera.

If you want to read to news about drug arrests in Panama try the English language Panama Star insert in La Estrella. If you are interested in a targeted investment in Panama commercial real estate contact us at ABPanama.